Finder's, Keepers. | Scomiche

Chapter 18

    "I got the part!" Mitch's excitement was contagious and Scott stood from his desk to poke his head out of the door.

     "Mitch got the part!" He spilled to his teammates, their gasps and smiles only making him smile brighter. "I'm so proud of you, baby."

     "Thank you, Scotty. Rehearsals start in a couple weeks."

     Scott leaned against the door frame. "Hey, that leasing agent called and said we just need to submit the last bit of paperwork and we are all good to go."

     "We get to move in tomorrow?!" Scott had to pull his phone away from his ear at Mitch's volume.

     "Yes, we got approved."

     "Wow, I'm so excited. Can't wait to christen every room." He could imagine the eyebrow wiggle Mitch was surely sporting right now.

     Scott chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, me too."

     "And then we have the trail in two and a half weeks. Everything is starting to look up for me again."

     "Yeah, hopefully, the trial goes smoothly. With Sean as a witness, I think we have a very strong case." He could see his team nod in agreement, obviously listening to his side of the conversation. He could see the secretary enter the squad room and he focused on her. She looked pale and nervous, and she was speed walking straight towards him.

     "Scott? Are you listening?" Mitch was still talking to him.

     "Yeah, one sec." The young girl finally made it to him and he looked down at the hand held out to her. She was holding a blank sealed envelope. He glanced at his friends and sandwiched his phone between his shoulder and ear. He grabbed it from her and flipped it over, carefully breaking the seal. He waved the girl off, not trying to be rude, but his priorities were definitely on the paper in his hands now. She walked away.

     He slowly slid the papers out. He could already feel his body temperature rise. The top one was blank except for a picture printed on it and his heart immediately dropped. "Mitch where are you?"

     "I just got back to the apartment, why?"

     "Lock the door and grab the baseball bat. I don't think anyone is in there but I need you to be cautious. Once you clear the house, close the blinds and stay there, I'm on my way."

     "Scott, you're scaring me."

     "I know. Just do as I say, honey." Scott's team was already geared up and waiting for him. He glanced back down at the paper. It was a picture taken from the building across from his into the window. It was obviously not for everyone's eyes as it was clearly Mitch and Scott enjoying their alone time together. He peeled that paper from the one behind it and folded it, tucking it into his back pocket. This one was of them after the rescue. Mitch's legs were latched on to Scott and his arms were latched onto Avi. He took a few steps forward and handed it to Avi. The last piece of paper had a picture of them walking down the hallway to the squad room.

     Scott glanced up across the room at the security camera, then back down at the paper.

     "Mitch, you still there?"

     "Yeah, there is no one here. All the blinds are closed and the door is locked. Please come quickly I'm hiding in the bathroom."

     "On our way." Scott passed the last paper over and patted his pockets, signaling for his team to follow him. He traveled to his apartment in record time, not wanting Mitch to feel unsafe and also he was scared to not be with him. There was someone else out there.

     There was someone else out there.

     The thought hit him like a truck as he bound up the steps two at a time. Unlocking his door and flung it open, gun drawn. He cleared all the rooms, his team close behind him before knocking on the bathroom door. "Mitch, baby. It's me."

     He heard the lock unlatch before Mitch swung the door open and stared at him with wide eyes. "Can you tell me what's going on?"

     Scott glanced back at Esther and Avi now entering his bedroom and pulled the paper out of his back pocket holding it out to Mitch. He frowned and took it, unfolding it slowly.

     Mitch took a couple steps towards Scott as he absorbed what he was looking at. His mouth opened and closed a few times, speechless.

     "Where did this come from?"

     "It was dropped off at the front desk of the precinct."

     "No, where did it come from?"

     "I don't know. There is someone else out there." Mitch let go of the paper and cupped his hands over his mouth, inhaling sharply as tears sprung to his eyes.

     "No, this was so close to being over. There can't be more." Scott opened his arms to accept the hug Mitch was coming to him for.

     "I'm so sorry." He glanced down at the picture on the ground and frowned. He felt Esther walk up beside them and lean down, and he stepped on it, not wanting her to pick it up, or even look at it. She looked up and furrowed her brows. "Sorry, this is not for your eyes. It's for no one's eyes. It shouldn't even exist."

     "Scott, whatever that picture is we won't judge or whatever, we just want to help." Mitch pulled back and looked up at him with his bottom lip puckered out.

     "It's okay. It's embarrassing, but they have to see it if they are going to help." Scott was surprised Mitch was letting other people look at them like that. He seemed pretty private with their public displays of affection so far, but this crossed the line into something entirely different.

     He moved his foot off of it and Esther reached down for it and her eyes practically bulged out of her head. "Wow, okay. Um, so this is a downward picture. From the building across the street." Mitch pulled out of his embrace and entered the restroom to wipe his face and he followed Esther to the window. She pulled the blinds open. "I'd say top two floors or rooftop, from the angle."

     Scott took a deep breath and could feel a headache start to form at the back of his head. Mitch was so close to being done with all of this, but now, it was like they were starting over. He wanted it to be finished. To be able to live his happy life with someone he loves and watch him flourish and be successful, but now, Mitch's life was going to be put on hold again.

     "I should probably call and reject the offer for the part, shouldn't I?" Scott turned around to see Mitch leaning against the doorframe to the bathroom, looking shy and sad. He wanted to be able to say no. To tell him that everything will be fine, but he couldn't. He nodded sadly and crossed his arms. Scott watched Kirstin cross the room to comfort him. He turned and looked out the window up at the top of the other building again.

     Alright. Here we go again.

***

A/n That's all folks! Thank you so much for all the votes and comments. Please stay tuned for book two! I already have it all planned out and have started writing, so the wait shouldn't be too long. 

     Sorry that I posted a day late, I was only prolonging the inevitable.

     Love you all so much!

     -Belle